The Wedding and the Confrontation
by ms-cherryred
Summary: Eddie's getting married, and he invited all his good friends. Unfortunately, that includes some people's exes. Warning: contains FEMSLASH.
1. Chapter 1

_Author's note: This is my first story in the That's So Raven fandom. I hope you like it!_

_Disclaimer: I don't own these characters, but I do own the plot of this story._

_Disclaimer: This story contains femslash. If you honestly don't know what femslash is, it's women in romantic and/or sexual relationships with other women. If you find that offensive, please don't read this story._

**Chapter One**_  
_

"Rae, we're going to be late!"

"I'll be down in five minutes!" Raven called out.

"You said that almost a half hour ago! Come on. It's Eddie's engagement party! You know I hate to do this but I'm going to wait in the car."

"Alright, alright! But I'm sure Eddie would want me to show up looking good!" Raven said as she hurried to put on her shoes. She heard the door close downstairs and quickly gathered her purse and ran to the car.

"I can't believe Eddie's getting married," Raven said as they drove. "I'm happy for him. He went through a lot with Chantel. I remember all the talks we had—he was always keeping me from my beauty sleep. But, then he found Michelle. I guess it's true that you gotta go through hell to get to heaven."

"We definitely had to."

_I remember_, Raven thought.

**Two years earlier. Raven's apartment.**

"Rae, I'm just gonna go. I have to get to work anyway. I'll let myself out."

Raven smiled faintly at Chelsea as she answered the phone. "Hello?" She was slightly distracted as she listened to Chelsea lock the door. She was jolted back into the conversation by Devon's voice.

"Rae, please don't hang up. I want to talk about this," Devon pled.

"Then talk," Raven replied, reclining on her sofa. "Because you already know what I have to say."

"Raven, I didn't mean to break my promise, but this job in Seattle is something I can't pass up! Tell me you wouldn't do the same if a similar opportunity came up. They just need me for 3 months past graduation. We've held it down for this long, I know we can make it 'til then."

Raven rolled her eyes at this.

"You said you'd be here right after graduation. You also said you'd come see me last month, but you got another internship that you couldn't pass up. I doubt that I even come second with you! You won't even compromise! You might as well stay in Seattle for all I care." With that, she hung up.

A few minutes later, the phone rang again. Raven refused to answer. She was in a foul mood and did not want to continue talking to him. She looked straight up at the ceiling and then closed her eyes, waiting for her answering machine to pick up the call.

"RAE! I really hope that you're out having fun or doing something other than sitting around your apartment screening your calls, because I'd really hate that I'm still talking to your machine…"

Raven smirked as she picked up the phone. "Eddie!"

"Listen, Rae, I just met Usher. I told him all about you. He saw your picture and thought you were fine, but he said no one wants to hear 'Confessions' part 3."

"Eddie, you're such a liar," Raven said with a laugh.

"Yeah, I know, but it got you to laugh. So, what did Devon do this time?"

Raven sat up, surprised by his accurate assumption. "Why do you assume Devon did something?"

"You have caller ID, and you're home, but you didn't answer the phone. That means you were just on it and rudely hung up on someone whom you expected to call back. Lately, Devon's been that someone. You know it's true."

Raven sighed. She _had_ been hanging up on him a lot recently.

"He took a job in Seattle so he's not gonna be able to move here when we planned. And, he promised he'd come see me last month, and then he took an internship. I haven't seen him in almost a year!"

"Rae, he's trying to make it in the corporate world. You've had to sacrifice things to make sure you did well in fashion design, haven't you?"

"Yes, but when I had to make a decision that would affect Devon and I, I discussed it with him first so we could come up with a compromise. He just decides things without giving me a say! I'm really getting sick of it. I'm so lonely sometimes."

"I could help you out," he said, lowering his voice. "Eddie T can make you feel good." At this Raven guffawed. She didn't think he'd grasp exactly what she meant by "lonely," and, also, the notion of sex with Eddie was absurd in its own right.

"Eddie, _no way_. We tried and it was just plain weird. And that was just a _kiss_! If we ever tried having sex it would be just awful."

"Way to boost my self esteem, Rae! Okay, I'm done with this conversation because I don't think Michelle would appreciate it. And, I have a studio session to get to. But remember," he lowered his voice again, "Eddie T loves you."

"I love you too, Eddie! Tell Michelle I said hello! Make sure you do a good job at the session. Studio time isn't cheap."

"Goodbye Raven."

She smiled as she hung up. She got up and walked to her office to work on some sketches. Designing was cathartic for her. Hours passed as if they were minutes, and she was surprised at how quickly the time had passed when Chelsea came back with Chinese food and ice cream. Chelsea plopped herself on the couch and began the epic tale of her day at work and school. Raven listened intently, glad that Chelsea hadn't asked about Devon.

"So did you and Devon work things out?" Chelsea asked.

_Jinxed myself, _Raven thought. "I think he already took the job."

"I don't know how he can stand to be away from you for so long. If I were in his shoes I'd go crazy."

"Aww, thanks Chels. If Ben weren't in the picture, I would definitely want to be your special psychic friend right now." She noticed a brief change of Chelsea's demeanor. "Hey, are you okay?"

Chelsea nodded. "I'm fine. Why'd you ask?"

Raven studied her friend. She didn't believe her.

"Chelsea, I know you. Whatever it is, you can tell me."

Chelsea looked at her friend and almost began to speak, but reconsidered. _Sorry Rae, but this I can't tell you. _"I actually have to go. I forgot that… my superintendent wants to do an inspection of my plumbing," Chelsea said. With that, she hurried out.

Raven hurried after her, but as she reached the hallway, there was no sign of the redhead.

"Chels? Chelsea!" Suddenly, she was pulled into a vision.

_Raven entered Chelsea's apartment. Chelsea was raising her voice._

"_Ben, things are just fine the way they are. Coming clean would ruin everything!"_

"_I'm sick of this," came Ben's response. "You have to choose!"_

"_I don't want to choose between you two," Chelsea said._

As the vision ended, Raven was shaking her head. "Chelsea, what are you getting yourself into?"

Raven returned to her apartment, determined to find out what was going on with Chelsea. "If you're not going to tell me, I'll have to find out by other means," Raven said to no one in particular.

A week later, Raven was out of ideas. It seemed that Chelsea was prepared for Raven's many methods of prying. It shouldn't have been unexpected, as Chelsea was Raven's constant companion during their adolescence. Chelsea seemed to be thoroughly avoiding her. Raven decided to devote less energy to finding out what Chelsea was hiding. She remembered all the schemes she used to come up with and perhaps it was time to try a different approach.

While Raven was making this decision, Chelsea was sitting at Starbucks, sipping a soy latte, waiting for her other psychic friend. She managed a small smile as he sat down with his frappuccino. She'd asked him to meet her, and halfway hoped he wouldn't show up. She sighed before speaking up.

"Ben, there's something you need to know," she began.

**To Be Continued.**

_Author's note: Please review!_


	2. Chapter 2

_Hello! I'm so sorry it took so long for me to post this second chapter. School life, work life, and personal life have all been hectic! I can't promise the gaps will be shorter, but I can promise to try to make them shorter. I hope that's acceptable._ _Thanks to _LaughLoveLive_, _Miss Lizzy Bennet_, _bekahbabe_, _angel0wonder_, and _CSIBradley_ for reviewing!_

_I do have to admit that I have no beta reader for this story so if you spot any errors, please point them out! _

_Thanks for reading!_

_I do feel that I have to restate this: Don't like, don't read. I'm too tired to rewrite the entire disclaimer. If you need to refresh your memory, it's at the beginning of Chapter One.  
_

**Chapter Two**

**Two years ago.**

Chelsea woke with Ben's arms around her. She stayed still, not wanting to wake him. She looked up at the ceiling; she'd become proficient at determining the time of morning by looking at the shadows on the ceilings or walls. Ben covered her eyes and she smirked. He gently kissed her lips.

"You don't have to go yet," he said. "It's only 5." He paused slightly before adding, "But, if you want to go, I'll get dressed and take you home." With that, he removed his hands.

Chelsea looked up into his eyes. He was still smiling, but much of the mirth had faded from his eyes. It had been nearly three weeks since she'd admitted to having feelings for someone else. She hadn't told him who; he didn't ask. She assured him that nothing happened, and that she was quite sure that her feelings weren't returned. She also assured him that she still had feelings for him and wanted to be with him.

"I just wanted to be completely honest with you," she'd told him.

It seemed that now her honesty was costing her. Ben wasn't the same. He never used to offer to take her home; he usually offered to drive her wherever she had to go so she wouldn't be late.

"Of course I don't want to go," she told him.

Meanwhile, the other psychic that Chelsea knew was also awake, but alone. Raven was sitting up in her bed, sketching. Lately, drawing was the only thing that she could turn to. She saw Chelsea often, but over the past few weeks their interactions weren't as frequent as they'd been… ever. They were growing up, finally. Eddie was the first to detach. He was all over the music scene; he'd eased out of rapping into producing, and he'd taken to working around Atlanta to be near Michelle, a senior at Spelman College. She and Chelsea spoke to him often, but it wasn't the same. And now, she and Chelsea were beginning to detach. Their lives were slowly but surely becoming less interconnected.

The shrill ringing of the telephone broke her train of thought.

"Who the hell could that be at this hour?" she asked the four walls of her bedroom. She picked up the cordless phone on her nightstand and looked at the caller ID. After making herself comfortable, she answered. This was going to be a long morning.

"Raven, please don't hang up…"

Later that day, Chelsea sat at her and Raven's favorite diner, waiting for Raven to meet her for lunch. She smiled brightly as the designer slid into the seat across from her with numerous apologies for being a few minutes late. Chelsea ordered "something with tofu," as Raven called it, and Raven ordered pancakes.

"I miss your dad," Chelsea said as she finished her bite of food. "The Chill Grill is still good, but it's not the same without him. How are he and Cory?"

Raven smiled as she recounted her last conversation with her father. Cory had gotten into loads of trouble because of one of his moneymaking schemes.

"…and he wound up tackling President Martinez! Then the boy tries to justify it by saying he's a _Baxter_!" Raven rolled her eyes. During her first visit to the White House, she'd tackled the President after having a vision that a clock was going to fall on him, and to keep from being arrested, she confided to him that she was psychic. Cory tried to suggest that the gift was shared between the siblings. "Needless to say, the President didn't buy it and Cory still got in big trouble."

"Cooking up schemes _is_ a Baxter thing," Chelsea noted. Raven didn't contest; she simply rolled her eyes and took another bite of her food. "Although I still don't believe that you tackled the President and are still around to tell."

After lunch, they went their separate ways, making dinner plans for that night. Raven was cooking and had already purchased animal-free products for Chelsea. She'd even borrowed cookware from Mrs. Daniels to ensure that the food she cooked would remain animal-free. Raven laughed as she got back to work. It reminded her of when she cooked for Devon's visits.

"Raven, you're 3 minutes late," Tiffany said. Raven rolled her eyes as she sat down at her desk. She smiled as she remembered that it was Friday and she had a Tiffany-free weekend ahead of her. She continued with what she'd been working on before she left.

"Raven, I don't have all day." Raven's eyes widened. Donna Cabonna, the boss, was poking her head out of her office door, looking annoyed as she did so.

"I'll be right there Donna," she said. She looked at Tiffany, who simply said, "Donna wanted to see you. Did I forget to tell you that?"

Raven rolled her eyes. This rivalry was really getting old. She entered Donna's office, waiting for Donna to invite her to sit.

"Please, sit," Donna said, gesturing to the chairs that faced her desk. Raven quickly sat and faced her mentor.

"Raven, I don't know how to say this," she began. "You started as an unpaid intern, and now you're using this as your senior internship for your degree, and I thought it a good idea to pay you…"

Raven was anxious. This didn't sound good at all.

"However, I think that chapter needs to come to a close at graduation. I will no longer need you as my intern."

Raven hung her head, unable to respond just yet. She'd been with Donna since her last year of high school, and now it was all over.

"Raven? Raven?" Donna snapped her fingers to get the younger woman's attention. Raven looked up, and refocused her attention on her boss.

"I'll need you to sign this as soon as possible," Donna said, handing her a thin stack of paper. Raven read through the first few lines, her heart racing and a smile slowly widening across her face. Donna held her ears, and turned away, waiting for Raven's signature scream to pass. Surprisingly it didn't. She looked at Raven, only to find that the young woman was crying almost hysterically.

"You got me, Donna. You really got me," Raven said as she calmed.

"You actually thought I'd let you go and find a job with my competition? Never! You're the best. I'd be an idiot to let you go," Donna admitted. She gestured toward the pages Raven was holding. "Some of those terms are negotiable. Take your time looking that over and get back to me if there's anything you want to negotiate. Oh, and you have the rest of the day off."

Raven smiled as she stood up. "Oh, and Raven?" She turned to face Donna again. "Don't rub it in Tiffany's face. Let her find out when you start your new position in a few weeks." Raven looked at her boss, dumbfounded. Donna responded with a mischievous smirk. "In fact…" Donna said. She escorted Raven to the door.

"Out! I don't want to see you until Monday!" Donna said, loud enough for only people in Tiffany's vicinity to hear. She lowered her voice so only Raven would hear. "Let's keep this up for the next couple weeks, just to fix her." Raven nodded, wiping the tears from her eyes, noting that anyone watching wouldn't know that they'd been tears of joy.

And surely enough, Tiffany definitely sounded pleased as she whispered to one of their coworkers, "Was she crying?"

Raven rolled her eyes as she entered the elevator, and as the doors closed, she started laughing heartily. "I'm a designer! I'm a designer!" she chanted, while doing her happy dance. She laughed even harder when she remembered that she'd done the exact same dance and chant in Señorita Rodriguez's class in high school. As she neared her car, she pulled out her phone and dialed Devon.

"Hello?"

"Devon, guess what?" Raven asked, enthused.

"What?"

"I'm going to be working for Donna Cabonna after graduation!"

"Baby, that's great! I knew you could do it! I wish I was there to celebrate," he said. That's when she remembered. She'd been hearing the words "I wish I was there" come from his mouth for the past eight months. She was tired of his wishing. She also remembered the conversation they'd had that morning.

"Me too," she said, the joy gone from her voice. "I'll talk to you soon." With that, she hung up. Then, she recalled that she'd be cooking for Chelsea, and she perked up a bit.

A few hours later, Chelsea let herself into Raven's apartment. She smelled the meal and immediately headed for the kitchen.

"Wow, that smells really good! Are you sure it's all vegetarian-friendly?"

"Yes, Chels. I went as far as to have your mother show me how she used to cook for you. Of course, I added my own spin on most of it. So, go sit. It's almost ready."

Chelsea made her way to the table. A few minutes later, she heard Raven's voice come from the kitchen, getting louder as she got closer.

"… so your mother said you've eaten cheese, and I've seen you eat pizza, and you eat my macaroni and cheese, so I didn't think cheese was off-limits, but I did do some research to find out which brands of cheese are vegetarian-friendly. I modified my original mac and cheese recipe, and BAM!" Chelsea jumped as Raven put the dishes on the table. "Broccoli-spinach Mac & cheese, a la Raven…" Chelsea smiled as Raven struggled to come up with a fancy name for the second dish she was putting down.

"It's tofu, okay! Tofu… a la Raven." They both chuckled at that. "Mashed potatoes, a la… my dad. Remember, I visited him a while ago? He'd made these potatoes and I was stuffed for the rest of that week! Help yourself. I've gotta go back to the kitchen."

After freshman year at college, they both began cooking more seriously. It had gotten to a point where both they both realized that they were spending way too much money on food that they didn't even like, simply because they couldn't cook. Chelsea took the easy way out at first; she went home to her mother every weekend and had her mother make an entire week's worth of food. Finally, Mrs. Daniels got frustrated and showed Chelsea how to make the easiest dishes. Soon, every weekend _Chelsea_ was the one cooking the week's worth of food.

Raven, however, had it harder. Her father was in Washington, DC, and her mother was in Europe. She'd visited her Grandma Viv, and Grandma Baxter as well, but it was harder to commute so she'd learned much of her cooking through trial and error. Chelsea remembered Eddie's last visit. He was reluctant to try Raven's cooking, but by the end of the meal, he was filling containers to take home with him.

Chelsea helped herself to everything that was on the table.

"Chelsea, did you leave any for me!" Raven joked. "I'm guessing it's good?"

The redhead nodded. She continued eating as Raven filled both their glasses. She noticed that Raven was helping herself to the food. "Raven, you do know that all of this is vegetarian, right?"

Raven shook her head in amusement and continued to eat. She looked up as Chelsea took a sip from her glass.

"Raven, why are we drinking your 'special occasion' wine?"

"I dunno, maybe because it's a special occasion?"

"Rae…"

"Donna offered me a job as a designer!"

"Seriously? Oh my goodness, Rae! That's amazing!" Chelsea got up from her seat and hugged Raven. "We absolutely have to go celebrate. I'm not taking no for an answer. It's Friday night and it's still early. We're going. Go find something to wear. I'll clear the table."

Chuckling, Raven did as she was told.

**To be continued.**


	3. Chapter 3

_I'm back!  
_

_Hey guys, I know, I know I promised to try to make the gaps shorter! _ _ I hope you guys can forgive me, and I hope you all like this chapter_. _ Let me know what you think, whether you love it or hate it._

_Disclaimer: Don't like, don't read_. _ Please read the disclaimer at the first chapter._

_Since it's been a while, a little recap. The story started in the present, at the time of Eddie's wedding, then we took a trip to two years earlier, where we still are._

**Chapter Three**

Raven awoke and stretched. She didn't get very far; Chelsea was draped across her. She looked at the clock on her bedside table; it was 10AM. Raven chuckled and slowly pushed Chelsea away and made her way to the kitchen for a glass of water. As she went through her fifth consecutive glass of water, she recalled how much Chelsea had to drink the previous night and set out to have some food and pain relievers ready for when Chelsea woke up. She sliced a bagel in half and put it in the toaster, then rummaged through her cupboards looking for her extra large water bottle, filling it to the brim before closing it and guzzling the water.

The bagel popped out of the toaster; Raven lightly buttered it and placed one half on a plate along with a banana. She put the food and a glass of water on a tray, taking it to her bedroom and leaving it where Chelsea would find it before entering her bathroom and retrieving two bottles from her medicine cabinet. As Raven reached the threshold, Chelsea snored loudly, and Raven laughed, disturbing the silence and waking Chelsea.

"Good morning," Raven said, smiling, then taking a bite of the bagel half she'd been holding.

Chelsea groaned and held her forehead as she sat up. "What's so good about it?"

"Eat something. Pick a pill," Raven said, holding out the two bottles she'd retrieved from the bathroom, "and drink some water. You'll feel better in no time."

Chelsea looked at the meager offering on the tray and selected the banana. As the redhead bit into the fruit, Raven decided to give her some space and retreated to the living room.

Upon arriving, Raven dropped her bagel and screamed. Someone was asleep on her couch. She calmed down a bit because she knew who it was, but clutched at her chest; her heart was still beating rapidly.

"Huh?"

The man that had been lying on her couch was now on the floor, hurrying to his feet. Chelsea came rushing out of Raven's bedroom, brandishing the tray that had held her breakfast. She relaxed her stance as she entered the living room, but was very confused.

"When did he get here?" Chelsea asked. "Did I really drink that much? I remember most of the night--"

"Chelsea, he wasn't with us." Raven said, shaking her head. "What are you doing here?" she finally asked him.

"I got in from the airport at around 5," Devon said. "I wanted to surprise you, but I didn't want to wake you and Chelsea, so I slept on the couch. I didn't mean to scare you. Sorry."

The shock had worn off, and Raven was ecstatic. Devon was there, with her, and not in Seattle. She hugged him tightly, partly to make sure he was really there. Surely it was too good to be true.

_And on that note, _Chelsea said to herself, _it's time for me to go._ She set the tray down on the coffee table and retreated back into Raven's room, gathering her things quickly. Raven knocked on the door. "Heading home? You can stay for as long as you'd like, you know."

Chelsea sat on Raven's bed to put on her shoes. "I think I'll just go home to my own bed. You're going to need yours," she said, grinning. "I'm just gonna get last night's leftovers before I go. Thanks for dinner. It was great. Plus, I don't have to cook for a few days."

"I'll drive you home."

Chelsea finished with her shoes and declined Raven's offer. "I'll be fine. You should stay here with Devon. I know how much you've missed him." She headed to the kitchen, put containers of food into a tote bag, and said goodbye to Raven and Devon before leaving. She exited the building and the morning sun shone so brightly that her head hurt. There was no way she was going to walk all the way home. She took out her phone and called Ben to pick her up.

A few hours later, Raven was smiling as she got up from the couch. She and Devon had been cuddling, talking, and watching TV for hours. She'd really missed him. His cell phone had rung quite a few times, but he ignored it and finally turned it off when it became a nuisance. She decided to give him time to take care of whatever business he had; she wanted to check on Chelsea.

She drove to Chelsea's favorite smoothie vendor, getting smoothies for both Chelsea and herself. As she walked into the building, one of Chelsea's neighbors stopped to mention that Raven seemed different. Raven explained that things were starting to look up for her, sipping her strawberry smoothie and hurrying through the doorway before the door shut.

Raven stopped short of Chelsea's door to grab her keys, setting her smoothie on the floor for a moment. Her keys to Chelsea's apartment were only to be used in emergencies or when Chelsea was aware that Raven was coming, but Chelsea didn't seem to be feeling well, so Raven wasn't sure if Chelsea would be up to opening the door.

Raven entered Chelsea's apartment. Chelsea was raising her voice.

"Ben, things are just fine the way they are. Coming clean would ruin everything!"

"I'm sick of this," came Ben's response. "You have to choose!"

"I don't want to choose between you two," Chelsea said.

"This is insane, Chelsea! Things are fine the way they are!? I'm not going pretend everything's okay. If you want to be with me, then you have to deal with this so we can move past it. You need to talk to her and clear this up."

"What?" Chelsea sounded like she'd been caught off guard.

Raven was thankful that the couple was in the bedroom. She closed the door as quietly as possible. Just as she was picking up her smoothie, Ben wrenched the door open and she started slightly, nearly spilling the drinks.

"Hey Raven," he said. Something told Raven that he knew she'd heard.

Chelsea walked to the door. "Raven, this isn't a good--" Ben held his hand up to cut her off.

"It's okay, I'm leaving." He turned to address Chelsea. "I'll come get my stuff tomorrow." With that, he walked out.

Raven smiled feebly and held out the smoothie she'd bought, shrugging. Chelsea took it, and stared at it for a moment.

"Are you okay?" Raven asked; she noticed tears. A moment of silence passed. "Chels?" Raven had never seen Chelsea like this before. She stepped closer to the redhead.

"Actually, Raven, could you go?" Chelsea said, sipping her smoothie. "I'd like to be alone for a while."

"Oh, okay. Call me if you need anything." She got no response; Chelsea simply closed the door. Raven frowned as the lock clicked into place. She headed home, her concern for Chelsea increasing as she tried to figure out what was going on.

Chelsea reclined on her couch, finishing her smoothie and replaying her conversation with Ben. It was over; she knew it. She cried; she was in love with two people. She knew that it was best to for Ben and her to end their relationship, but it still hurt. The phone rang and she ignored it entirely.

"Hi, I'm calling for Chelsea Daniels. This is Karen from EcoFriends. We got your application for a yearlong internship at our San Francisco office. Unfortunately, we've got no more slots for interns at that office. However, we've got some new offices in Canada, and I was wondering if you'd be interested in a new internship program we're starting in Vancouver. There's a stipend and housing available. If you're interested, call me back at 415-555-6810. I also sent you an email, which has more details about the program. I hope to speak to you soon."

Chelsea finished her smoothie and stared at the ceiling for a few moments. She picked up the phone and called Karen back.

"Hi, I'm calling for Karen. This is Chelsea Daniels; I got a message about an internship in Vancouver."

For the next half hour, Chelsea and Karen discussed the internship. If she accepted, Chelsea would be part of a group that would help unite all of Vancouver's plant, wildlife, and environmental preservation groups. The more they talked about it, the more Chelsea wanted to be involved. They spent another half hour discussing the administrative details. Chelsea would need to pay the visa fees, but EF would help her with all the forms she needed to fill out. EF already had the apartment ready. She could go there whenever the visa was approved.

"Karen, would it be possible to start the paperwork on Monday?" Chelsea asked.

"Of course. I could be available any time after to help you. Is 2pm a good time?"

"Yes, I can be there at 2. I'll see you then."

After she hung up, Chelsea got dressed and went to her parents' house to tell them about the internship. She pulled into the driveway, and hurried out of the car, fumbling with her keys to open the front door. She found her parents in the living room, kissing on the couch; her father was on top of her mother and his hand was underneath her mother's blouse. They were oblivious to her presence; she was thankful that they were fully clothed. She cleared her throat very loudly.

"Chelsea, why didn't you call first? Is everything okay?" her mother asked, looking over her father's shoulder.

"I have great news and I wanted to tell you guys first and in person. Um, could you--?" She gestured toward them; she couldn't bring herself to ask her father to get off of her mother. "It's a bit difficult to talk to you guys when you're, um, in that position." They still didn't move.

"Chelsea, could you excuse us for a few minutes? We'll meet you in the kitchen. I made fruit salad, and there's cinnamon applesauce and strawberry yogurt." Her mother was blushing. Chelsea shook her head at them and headed to the kitchen. Although she was a bit disturbed , she also envied what they had. She wanted to be as in love as they were. She laughed as she heard them hurrying up the stairs. They came down an hour later. Chelsea was eating another bowl of fruit salad at the kitchen table; she'd gotten bored and added the applesauce and yogurt to it.

"So, what's the great news?" her father asked, taking the spoon from her and scooping some fruit salad. "Wow, that's delicious," he commented before sitting down and taking the bowl from her.

"I'm going to be doing an internship with EcoFriends for a year after graduation. It's the most amazing program; we're going to be uniting different preservation groups in Vancouver so that their missions have a greater impact. EF is going to be at the center to mediate, and I'll get to work with several different groups. It's more like I'm going to be doing more than one internship."

"Wow, that's great honey!" her mother said, hugging her daughter.

"The best part is that I don't have to worry about housing, and I get a stipend, but that's another thing. I doubt that the stipend will be enough to cover all of my expenses so I was wondering if you guys could give me some money. The good thing about it is I'll be in Canada, and hopefully the US dollar will stay stronger than the Canadian, and I won't need too much money from you." Chelsea was speaking really quickly because she was very excited.

"Chelsea, slow down. This internship is in Canada, you say?" her father asked, sobering the conversation.

"Yeah, Vancouver."

"Honey, sit down. We're gonna have to talk a bit more about this," he said.

Chelsea sighed and prepared herself for a very long conversation.

**To be continued.**


End file.
